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VP-Expert is an artificial intelligence development tool that gained popularity in the 1980s and early 1990s. Published by Paperback Software, VP-Expert was designed to facilitate the creation of rule-based expert systems, primarily for applications in business and industry.[1][2] VP-Expert was written by Brian Sawyer.[3][4][5]
| Initial release | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Stable release |
/ 1993 |
| Operating system | MS-DOS |
| Type | Expert System Development Tool |
| License | Proprietary |
Features
editVP-Expert incorporated several features that supported the development and deployment of expert systems:[6]
- Rule-Based Reasoning: VP-Expert utilized a rule-based inference engine to process knowledge represented as IF-THEN rules.[6]
- Backward Chaining: The system primarily employed backward chaining, a goal-driven reasoning strategy, to deduce conclusions or solutions based on the given facts and rules.[6]
- User Interface: VP-Expert offered a user-friendly interface for knowledge acquisition, simplifying the process of defining rules, facts, and goals.[7]
- Explanation Facility: The system was capable of providing explanations for its reasoning, enhancing user understanding of how conclusions were reached.[7]
Applications
editVP-Expert found applications across various domains,[8][9][10] including:
- Environmental Analysis: Researchers used VP-Expert to develop a knowledge-based system for analyzing the impact of particulate matter air pollution on human health.[11]
- Engineering Design: VP-Expert was utilized in the creation of a prototype expert system to assist in fishway design.[12]
- Aviation Management: The tool was employed to develop an expert system aimed at maximizing airport capacity while adhering to noise-mitigation plans.[13]
These examples illustrate its versatility in addressing diverse problem-solving needs. VP-Expert quickly gained market share in the expert system development tool sector, particularly in academic and small to medium-sized business environments. By 1990, it had become one of the most widely used expert system shells in educational institutions, with an estimated installation base of over 50,000 copies worldwide.[7]
Limitations
editWhile VP-Expert offered certain advantages, it also had limitations:
References
edit- ^ "Low Cost VP-Expert Shows what Expert Systems can do". InfoWorld. 23 March 1987.
- ^ "VP-Expert is Still One of the Best Shells". InfoWorld. 23 March 1992.
- ^ Sawyer, Brian; Moose, Ann; Shafer, Dan (1987). VP-Expert: A Knowledge-Based System for Plant Troubleshooting. Paperback Software International. ISBN 978-0-87142-028-2.
- ^ Lytras, M. A.; Konstantinos, E. A.; Spanos, G. N. (2002). "A Knowledge Management Scenario to Support Knowledge Applications Development in Small and Medium Enterprises". Journal of Knowledge Management.
- ^ Wright, John N.; Carver, David L.; O'Connell, Michael J. (1990). A Distributed Expert System for Submarine Shipboard Maintenance (PDF) (Report). Naval Research Laboratory.
- ^ a b c Liebowitz, Jay (1990). Expert Systems: The User Interface. In Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Rocky Mountain Conference on Artificial Intelligence (RMCAI '90), pp. 161-169. Denver, CO.
- ^ a b c d e Durkin, John (1994). Expert Systems: Design and Development. Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0-02-330510-0.
- ^ John B. O'Connor. "Expert systems in air traffic management". Santa Clara High Technology Law Journal. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
- ^ Chu, Quentin (1991). "An expert system for aviation squadron flight scheduling" (PDF). CORE. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
- ^ Park, Sun (2013). "Developing an Ontology-Based Knowledge Management System to Support Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing". NOVA. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
- ^ Oprea, Mihaela (2017). "Development of a knowledge based system for analyzing particulate matter air pollution effects on human health". Environmental Engineering and Management Journal. 16 (3): 669–676. doi:10.30638/eemj.2017.068.
- ^ Bender, Michael J.; Katopodis, Chris; Simonovic, Slobodan P. (1992). "A prototype expert system for fishway design". Springer. 23 (1–3): 115–127. Bibcode:1992EMnAs..23..115B. doi:10.1007/BF00406956. PMID 24227094.
- ^ "Use of a Knowledge-Based Expert System to Maximize Airport Capacity in Harmony with Noise-Mitigation Plans" (PDF). Transportation Research Record.